LansingCurrent.com

All ramps at the Kansas Highway 7 and U.S. Highway 24-40 interchange will close today, so construction may begin. All ramps will be closed beginning at 8:30 a.m. and will be closed throughout the duration of the project.

In addition, on Saturday, U.S. 24-40 will be closed at 8 a.m. from 130th to 142nd streets for demolition work on part of the existing K-7 bridge. It will reopen to all traffic at 8 a.m. Sunday. Marked detours will be provided for all traffic during the closures.

KDOT official Kimberly Qualls said she suggested drivers take the following detours:

¢ Drivers heading east on U.S. 24-40 who want north or south K-7 should go east on U.S. 24-40 to Interstate 435 south, then head west on Interstate 70 to K-7.

¢ Drivers who are heading west on U.S. 24-40 and want north or south K-7 should take I-435 south to I-70 west to K-7.

¢ Drivers who are heading south on K-7 and want east or west U.S. 24-40 should first head east on I-70 to I-435 north then to U.S. 24-40, or State Avenue.

¢ Drivers heading north on K-7 who want east or west U.S. 24-40 should first go east on I-70 to I-435 north and then get on U.S. 24-40.

Drivers also could evaluate other alternate routes. For instance, if heading south on K-7 from Lansing, take Leavenworth Road or Parallel Road west from K-7 to Basehor and then 155th Street south through Basehor to U.S. 24-40. Likewise, drivers on U.S. 24-40 could use those routes to get to K-7 north of the interchange.

For anyone wanting to travel south of the interchange, there is 130th Street, which connects K-7 to U.S. 24-40 east of the interchange, or 110th Street, which connects U.S. 24-40 to I-70 and winds around the southwest side of Kansas Speedway.

Updated daily closure information for the project can be viewed online at: www.ksdot.org/kcmetro/laneclose.asp. Drivers are encouraged to use alternate routes, if possible, according to KDOT.

The existing cloverleaf interchange will be replaced with a new partial cloverleaf or folded diamond interchange and the addition of auxiliary lanes on K-7 and US-24/40. The lane addition will provide traffic with acceleration and deceleration lanes for the new interchange on- and off-ramps.

The scheduled completion date for the project is early winter 2008.

For information on this project, please contact Qualls, who is the Northeast Kansas Public Affairs Manager, at (785) 296-3881.